And I agree, AKM, this is a great conversation. Thanks to everyone. I’m mostly a lurker here, feeling a bit like a tourist, a bit like a peeping Tom (or Tomasina!) because I’m not from Alaska.

But I am hungering for a place to talk about this with people who are thoughtful as we wrestle with this process and our hopes and frustrations about politics in the US in almost 2010. There are few places where an actual conversation CAN take place online — I am exhausted by the snipey snarky one liner battles that seem to take over most places.

A couple of quotes from the movie, An American President from the brilliant monologue at the end (where he does decide to scrap a bill but that’s fiction!) :

“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight.”

“We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who’s to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.”

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechtheamericanpresident.html

The Republicans are completely crooked and the Democrats are their loyal opposition.

The politicians need to be replaced. Until we the people rid ourselves of these liars and thieves, we have no reason to even complain. We need to raise a giant stink and be sure they understand why we are running them out of town. Only then will it be possible to keep their replacement politicians in line.

Perfect analogy. You have to see the picture. Plus, it lists the “benefits.”

I’m so depressed.

Being one of those people on the edge of bankruptcy and ruined credit standing because of healthcare bills (and I have insurance) I had high hopes on getting a Bill passed that would actually HELP the American People.

The Bill currently on the Senate floor actually makes me want to cry. I am so disillusioned by what I see happening to our hopes that something resembling CHANGE for the benefit of the PEOPLE.

What happened to the cap on premiums and out of pocket expense?
What happened to the ban on pre-existing conditions?
What happened to the affordable public option?

I could go on and on and on but we all see what happened to the TEETH in this Bill. They were not ‘pulled’, they were literally KNOCKED OUT and time to save them is running out. All that is left are gaping holes that the will be filled with more $$$ going to the insurance companies.

This is not what WE wanted and the fact that our POTUS can stand there and state it has EVERYTHING he outlined is just another punch in the face of the American People.

This bill is not what we wanted. We need a public option, a medicare buy-in for those younger than 65 and protection from the mandatory purchase of insurance. People without jobs don’t have money to buy-in. They just want health care.

This is the insurance company’s dream bill and I will not support it in its current state. It’s a disaster.

But I know things that Americans may not know. I married a UK citizen whose taxes covered their health care and never a bill, never a copay (except for drugs) and never a worry about going bankrupt. No one in the UK loses their home or life savings when they get sick.

My husband had a motorcycle accident and spent a week in the hospital (many years ago) and never once worried about the costs. He never had to worry about selecting the ‘right’ doctor or worrying about what time of day he might need care. He never ever had to fight for the expense of his care. He just cannot fathom how Americans have been screwed for YEARS by the insurance companies. He cannot fathom the control of the lobbyists in this country.

We have to make our voices heard and end this mafia control of our health care system. It is broken and I’m not going to sit back and watch my fellow Americans die or not get treated because they fear losing their home or their life savings over health care. Don’t even ask me about illegal immigrants because my answer will be, they are humans and Jesus didn’t ask for their citizenship papers when he healed the sick.

My girlfriend in Phoenix works for a doctor and doesn’t have health care. That is just wrong on all fronts and we must get a bill that is worthy of the President’s signature. Until we do, I am going to be fitful and angry and will challenge anyone that supports the mafia insurance companies.

Stop this madness now and start with a bill that will cover every human in this country, no matter their status, their station in life or their ability to pay. Health care is not negotiable; it’s a right of all citizens to be treated for their issues because we’re all humans. We age, we get sick and we need health care. As Keith said last night, First do no harm. We must demand that they present a bill worthy of a signature.

Thanks for reading.

/rant over.

White House as helpless victim on healthcare

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/16/815402/-20-answers